Beyond the booze and the bratwurst: what football really tells us about Germany

Germany is one of the world's great footballing powers. Four-time World Cup winners, Euro 2024 hosts and home to clubs like Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, the country's notorious winning mentality and vibrant fan culture are as famous as its beer and its cars. But if you look closer, what does the beautiful game really tell us about German history, culture and society?

Played in Germany takes us on a journey through modern Germany's football heartlands in search of the issues that define it. Through the songs, stadiums and simmering resentments of football, Kit Holden sheds light on a nation so diverse and divided that the only thing that really unites it is the game itself.

From the author of Sports Book Awards-shortlisted Scheisse! We're Going Up!

Beyond the booze and the bratwurst: what football really tells us about Germany

About the Author

Kit Holden is a British-German author and journalist based in Berlin. He covers football for Der Tagesspiegel and AFP, and he has also written for The Athletic, Guardian and Die Zeit. His first book Scheisse! We're Going Up! was shortlisted for the 2023 Sunday Times Sports Book Awards.

Reviews

'Always passionate, sometimes rough and ready, football in Germany has avoided the bling that has so disfigured the sport elsewhere. Kit Holden has travelled across this enchanting, diverse and often misunderstood country to explain in vivid detail the unbreakable bond it has with the Beautiful Game' John Kampfner, bestselling author of Why the Germans Do it Better

'An intimate portrait of Germany told through its football' Archie Rhind-Tutt, ESPN

'Absolutely wunderbar! Kit Holden's book is remarkably enlightening about both German football and society. My favourite footy read of the year so far. It's indispensable for anyone who wants to discover more about one of the continent's great football cultures' Adrian Goldberg

'A fascinating perspective not just on German football but on Germany itself, and a snapshot of a country in a state of deep flux. Immaculately researched and entertainingly written, Holden combines an evident affection for his subject with the clear judgement to critique it fairly' Jonathan Liew, The Guardian

'A great guide to Germany's football heartlands, Kit Holden wisely places the culture of the game in the contexts of the society around it: local and international, traditional and modern, political and personal. Played in Germany is a cracking read - fascinating and informative' Michael Wagg, author of The Turning Season: DDR-Oberliga Revisited

'This is among the very finest books written about German football. In fact, to call it a sports book is to do it a disservice, such is the breadth of its coverage and the scope of its analysis of the country's history and culture. A tremendous accomplishment and a terrific read' Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, The Athletic

'To fully enjoy German football, it helps to get an idea of what a varied and fascinating country Germany is. This engaging and insightful book is a perfect illustration of how events on and off the pitch have given each club a special character and identity' Kevin Hatchard, Bundesliga World Feed TV Commentator

'Entertaining, engaging and full of fascinating insight. A captivating tour of a nation besotted with football. The perfect accompaniment to Europe's German summer' Daniel Gray, author of The Silence of the Stands

Book Information
ISBN 9780715655412
Author Kit Holden
Format Paperback
Page Count 256
Imprint Duckworth
Publisher Duckworth Books